Clothes washer



Feb. 25, 1930. D. G. SMELLIE 1,748,150

CLOTHES WASHER Filed Oct.. 28, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet l mk Figi n inves/)Tor 'Donald Cwmelie Feb. 25, 1930. D. G. SMELLIE 1,748,150

CLOTHES WASHER Filed Oct, 2B, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenror- Donald G. Smelhe D. G. SMELLIE Feb. 25, i939.

CLOTHES WASHER Filed Oct. 28, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet VL wm e. +5 n @1w VGIW# mM A aVL mB D.

Patented Feb. -`25, 1930 UNITED- STATES 'PATENT OFFICE DONALD G. SMELLIE, 0F MAYWOOI-D, ILLINOIS, ASSGNOR 10 THE HOOVER COMPANY, .A

' CORPORATION OF OHIO A CLOTHES WASHER Application led October 28, 1925. Serial No. 65,279.

'An object of my inventionis to provide a washing machine wherein the container holding the objects to be washed and the liquid in which such objects are washed is subjected 5 to a motion compounded from several primary motions which results in a number of reversals in the path of `movement during each cycle. The purpose of imparting these reversals of movement to the container is to avoid the entangling of the clothes such as is usually encountered in machines in which the container has only a simple unidirectional .motion. l

Another object of my invention is to produce a simple and eiicient washing machine in which the container is subjected to a compound oscillatory movement.

My invention discloses a clothes container primarily mounted for oscillation about its vertical'axis and supported pivotally near its top for a'secondary oscillation at right angles to that of the primary oscillation and includes other details of construction and combinations of parts all of which arel shown in the drawings hereinafter more particularly described, in the specification and delined in the claims.

`In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a side view of a washing machine; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side .elevation of the washing machine taken at substantially right angles to Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a top plan view with certain portions left out for clearness of illustration.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modifiedv vided near its top with diametrically op- .V posed trunnions 14 by means of which the container is oscillably supported in a sub-l stantially U-shaped frame 15, which in turn is provided with a depending pin 18 adapted pin member 17 0Eset from the center Extending upwardly from gear box 22 is a shaft 23' mounted in suitablebearings and v having cranks 24 and 25. vMounted on crank 24 is a connecting rod 26 having an eye member at its outer end to fit over and be carried on pin 17 while on crank 25 there is carried a connecting rod 27 having universal mounting on crank 25 and having on its other end v a ball tol co-act with socket 16.

ln the operation of'this ywashing machine suitable power applied by the prime lmover and transmitted thru appropriate gearing `to rotate shaft 23, will cause operation of cranks 24 and 25 which in turn cause reciprocation of connecting rods 26 and 27.

s Reciprocation of connecting rod 26 will, thru its co-action with pin 17 on U-frame 15, cause this frame to be oscillated bodily about its pivot pin 18 and since the'clothes container frame, the container will be caused to oscillate about the vertical axis of the machine. Rcciprocation of connecting rod 27 will, because of its connection to socket 16 depending centrally from the bottom of container 12, cause the container to be rocked on trunnions 14 in U-frame 15.. It is to be understood that the amount of oscillation of the U-frame will vary4 with the length of crank arm 24 and that the excursion of the rocking movements of container 12 is dependent upon' the angularity of crank 25 with respect to crank 24 as well as upon the length of crank 25, all of which may be varied at will.

. From the above description it may readily be seen that a washing machine-constructed as described will impart to the materials and y l2 is carried in theupper portion of the U- cleansing fluid contained in the container 12,

a plurality of motions, compounded from the oscillation of the U-frame about-,the vertical axis and the rocking of the container on trun- 5 nions 14 pivoted on a horizontal axis.

Since therrocking movement tends to reach its maximum atthe point Where the oscillatin g movement is reaching its minimum, there will be a plurality of independent forms of motion including'sharp reversals of direction imparted to the materials 1n the container,

which greatly enhances the washing effect as well as prevents entangling of the clothes.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 4, there l5 may be provided an outer housing 10, a base.

support l11 and a container 12 substantiallyl means 21 and l22 a movementof rotation to a shaft 31 which extends thru the hollow cen'- Ztral opening in member 30, 'and on the upper end of which is carried a ear 32 secured thereto but free to revolve with respect to U- frame 15. f

U-frame 15 is provided with an extension on one side indicated at 33 and on which is carried an upwardly projecting pin 34.. On upwardly projecting pin 34 there is rotatably 35 mounted a gear wheel 35 which meshes with gear wheel 32 and is rotated on rotation of shaft 31.

Gear wheel35 is provided with an upwardly extending pin 36 on which is mounted by means of a ball joint a connecting rod 37 having a ball formed at the outer end thereof to be mounted on a downwardly projecting socket secured substantially centrally of the f bottom of container'12 similar to soclret 16 in Fig.-1. Pin 36 also carries-a connecting link 38 the outer end of which is provided with an eye member to co-act with a pin 39. mounted on a stationary portion of the outer housing 10.

From the description of the modified forni it may readily be seen that on application of power from the prime mover v'and thru the transmission means, the gear wheel32 will be caused to revolve, causing gear wheel 35 also vto revolve which in turn thru connecting link 38 will cause oscillation of the U-frame while thru connecting rod 37 thecontainer 12 will be caused to swing on trunnion 14. From the description of this construction it will be seen that the movement imparted to the container is quite similar to that furnished by the first described mechanism. Due to the fact that the crankby which the container is swung is mounted on the U-frame and oscillates thereo5 with, the effective angularity of the connectwardly extending stem portion 30 which isA ing rod which causes such swinging will not be so great ,as in the modification previously described since there is only the angularity of the rod itself to be considered while in the first form this effective angularity is increased by the angularity of the U-frame because of its oscillation. i

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is y 1. The method of washing articles by 1mmersion in a body of detergent Huid in a container, comprising the excitation of thebody of detergent fluid by component oscillatory forces whose points of maximum intensity occur at different times.

2. The method of washing articlesbypimmersion in a body of detergent fluid ina container, comprising the excitation vof the body of detergent fluid by component oscillatory forces whose points of lmaximum intensity tare displaced 90 degrees in time-phaseI -relaion.

3. A washing machine having in combination a container, a support pivotally supporting the container, a mounting for the support in which the support isoscillably mounted and means to oscillate the container relative to'the mountingso that the points of reversal of the twoy oscillations are separated by time intervals.

4. In a washing machine a container adapted toreceive articles to be cleaned, an oscillably mounted support pivotally supporting said container above its center of gravity and means to oscillate said container at maximum speed about its pivot point when said support is reversing its direction oftravel. A

'5. In a washing machine a container mountedv for oscillation about a horizontal and a vertical axis, means to impart oscillatory movements about both horizontal and vertical axes so that the maximum rates of angular displacement are displaced in timephase relation.

6. In a washing machine a container mounted for oscillation about a horizontal and avertical axis. means to impart oscillatory movements about both horizontal and vertical axes so that the maximum rates of angular displacement are displaced 90 degrees in time-phase relation.

7. The method of washing articles by im- Y ber, A. D. 1925.

whose points of maximum intensity are dis.

placed degrees in time-phaselrelation.

9. A washlng machine having in combination a container, a sup ort in a horizontal plane pivotally supportmg the container, a mounting for the support in which the support` is oscillable about a vertical axis and .means to oscillate the container relative to the mounting so that the' points of reversal of the two oscillations are separated by time intervals.

' 10. In a washing machine a container adapted to receive `articles to be cleaned, said container being oscillable .about a horizontal axis, asupport carrying said container above its center of gravity, said support being oscillably mounted about a vertical axis,

- and means to oscillate said container and said support so that said container is moving at maximum speed about its pivot point 'when said support is reversing its direction of travel. n

11. In a washing machine a supportin base, a suport carried. by said` base an adapted to tainer carried b said 'support and adapted ,e rotated through an arc, a con-4 to be pivoted a out a horizontal axis and means to actuate said support and said container about their respective axes of'rotation comprising a rotatable shaft having cranks formed thereon, connecting rods connecting said support and said containers to said vcranks and means to rotate said shaft.l 'i v 12. In a Washing machine a supportin base, a support `carried by said base v/an adaptedto be rotatedA through an arc, a container carried b said support and adapted to be pivoted a outa horizontal axis and means to actuate said'support and said container vabout their respective axes of rotation so that their respective points of maximum angular ve'locity are spaced 90 degrees in tinephaserelation, comprising a rotatable shaft having cranks spaced 90 degrees circumferentially formed thereon, connecting rods connecting' said support and said container to said cranks and means to rotate said shaft. f v

c Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 26th day of Octo- DONALD`l G.; sMELLIE. 

